Dirty Dancing.
Prancing around the field with the sort of grace and elegance one would expect to see at the Washington Ballet, Deion Sanders embraced stardom in a way few NFL players have done since.
The Hall of Fame cornerback frolicked down meadows with ease, his feet barely gazing the ground. He had a propensity for interceptions, ripping errant passes from the heavens and tucking them into his knapsack as he made a voyage across the pasture. On nine occasions, Sanders took his delivery back to the crib. He added another 10 scores via kick and punt returns. And more often than not, he capped off his waltzes in style, dressing them down in an iconic two-step, more widely known as the "Deion Shuffle."
The jig was a phenomenon, its rhythmic pattern accentuated by Sanders' bravado. The lights came out once Sanders reached the end zone. He did it more times than most.
Many have tried to re-create Sanders' moves. Many have failed, including son Shedeur, according to Sanders himself.
But just where did that joyous choreography come from? And how exactly do you pull it off? The Sporting News examines the origins of the Deion Shuffle, one of the greatest celebrations in sports history.
Who started the Deion Shuffle?
Despite its name, the Deion Shuffle actually originated from famed Oakland rapper MC Hammer. He who wears parachute pants was all the rage during the 1980s and 1990s, taking the radio waves by storm with such hits as "U Can't Touch This" and "2 Legit 2 Quit".
Hammer performed a version of the dance — which borrows inspiration from the New Orleans-based dance trend buckjumping — in his music video for the song, "Good to Go."
Suffice to say, it left an impression on Sanders, who started implementing the move into his celebration arsenal.
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How to do the Deion Shuffle
The Deion Shuffle seems an intricate dance. However, it's not too challenging. You just have to have a little bit of rhythm. Here's a step-by-step look at football's greatest celebration:
- Race into the end zone;
- Step with the left foot, bringing your right foot up to the left upper calf/knee area as you do;
- Repeat said motion with the right foot, bringing your left peg toward the upper calf/knee area;
- Step with your left foot again, repeating Step 2 twice;
- Send your spike barreling into the heavens;
- Repeat
Maybe Sanders can explain it better:
Go on, tiny dancer. But make sure to give credit where it's due: to Coach Prime, the greatest showman in football history.
